


Indefinite Elimination

by Coolbeanzed



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Sex, Sexual Content, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-26 11:50:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1687262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolbeanzed/pseuds/Coolbeanzed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enveloped in the routine of their everyday lives that most would find terrifying, Q's infatuation with Bond is reaching breaking point, not that he'd ever admit it, and Bond is unaware of the feelings that he possesses for the younger man.</p><p>A series of events are about to surround them and everyone they love, and throw them both in the deep end.</p><p>Will they be able to save everyone that they hold dear, as well as one another?</p><p>Not a great description but please give it a read! :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy the story - please let me know what you think, leave a comment!
> 
> Set after Skyfall.

Q's pulse quickened as he heard one of the minions tell Bond that he couldn't possibly go into the Quartermaster's office now, during a crisis. It became even more erratic when he heard the door swing open and Bond's not quite fast nor slow footsteps pace into the office, bringing a waft of his expensive cologne with him.  
"Q."

"007...unless there is something important you have to say, I suggest you leave. I'm in..well..somewhat of an international pickle here." Bond chuckled softly and he fought away the shiver that threatened to travel through him.

"I heard. I just came to return these." Q didn't bother to glance at the objects placed on his desk and instead remained focused on the screens in front of him.

"You could have given them to one of the minions."

"Maybe I wanted to see you."

"Displays of friendliness, Bond? Are you feeling quite well?" Again, the older man chuckled and Q fought the smile off his face, failing to blow away the chunk of thick black hair that fell in the middle of his head, tickling his nose annoyingly. Suddenly one of Bond's hands was brushing it away for him and he suppressed the heat that threatened to flood his cheeks.

"I presume M has already briefed you on the Waterston case?"

"Sh-he has." Bond's tone was suddenly dry, and Q winced internally at the knowledge that Bond obviously hadn't gotten over the death of the previous M.

"Good. Once I've sorted this out I need to talk to you about new prototypes I need you to test on the mission along with the regulars. Without even looking at your returned equipment, I'm guessing your latest Walther is destroyed?"

"You know me too well."

"I do. Now, get out of my office, Bond." He could almost feel Bond's smile and he left by instructing Q's minions to make him another cup of Earl Grey.

It was midnight before Q had officially saved the future of England, and, thanks to a gang of hooded youths crowding a street he usually took home, one o'clock by the time he was unlocking the door to his flat with shaking hands. Something crunched under his shoe and he picked it up whilst dropping his computer on the sofa and swiftly moving to his bedroom - too exhausted to acknowledge the gnawing hunger in his stomach. He undressed and crawled under the sheets, shining his phone on the piece of paper which turned out to be an envelope, with loopy handwriting on it that read:

For your eyes only

Q frowned and opened it up - knowing full well that if he left it until morning, well, later that morning, he wouldn't be able to sleep for wondering what it was - inside was a small card with the words:

It's their birthday on Sunday. Did you forget? Shameful. What would they think?

His blood ran cold and before he knew what he was doing, he was racing into the kitchen and making the strongest, most foul-tasting black coffee he'd ever had the displeasure of drinking before pulling his clothes back on, and heading straight back to MI6.

The night staff sighed when they saw him rush back in and one them, Harry, approached him slowly as he threw his belongings down on the floor.  
"Sir?"

"What?!"

"Why are you back here? You need to sleep you've been awake on the job now for over 24 hours."

"I need to run a handwriting analysis." He mumbled, rushing into his office.

"Let me do that, then. Go home and get some sleep."

"I won't sleep unless I know who wrote this!" The panicked tone in the Quartermaster's voice worried Harry, and he nodded and left before heading straight to M's office and leaving him a note to read for the morning.

Q was analysing the small section of writing for three hours and taking notes before he was shaking and felt like crying. He knew he needed sleep, even more so when M himself stormed into his office at six o'clock.

"Q. What on earth are you doing?!" Q jumped out of his skin and spun round so quickly he almost fell off the stool he was sat on.

"I..umm...I..."

"The minions told me you were here all night. Look at the state of you! Go home."

"I can't. I need to brief 007 on the gadgets he needs for the Waterston case, and then I need to create another firewall for-"

"Enough. 007 is in the building somewhere, brief him, then go home."

"But I need to be his eyes for when-" M cut him off again.

"I won't have your negligence of yourself compromise my best agent's safety. You will go home and get some sleep after briefing him, Q. Anyway, before I leave, I've heard that you were here analysing handwriting. What was it from?" If Q hadn't felt so drained his cheeks would have flushed in shame.

"I'd rather not say."

"Is someone threatening you? If that's the case don't keep it to yourself, Q. Let me help." He sighed heavily.

"I...you know what? I think I'll just brief 007 and go home. You're right, I think I'm just making a big deal out of nothing, I need sleep." M looked at him narrowly for a moment before nodding and clapping his shoulder briefly before leaving.

"Make sure you do."

Q couldn't keep his eyes off the note. As Bond walked in, his smirk quickly dissipated when he saw the state of the Quartermaster.

"Jesus Christ - have you had no sleep?" Q just shook his head silently and Bond sighed.

"It's not good for you."

"I realise that 007. But thank you for the observation." He realised guiltily how snappy that had sounded but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"The equipment you need: your latest Walther - I'd ask you not to break it but I know from previous experience that that would be a waste of breath - a radio to alert us of your whereabouts if you get into trouble, and this: it connects to your wristwatch - which I noticed you didn't break for once, thank you - it can take recordings of any conversations or hostile situation you may encounter and transmit directly back to the lab. It may come of use to you." Bond smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Q."

"You're welcome. Now, if you don't mind, undertake this mission as routinely as possible, I don't want to have to come back here to save your ass when I could be catching up on my sleep." Bond nodded as he put his watch back on.

"I'll do my best. Goodbye Q."

"Good luck, 007."


	2. Chapter 2

Q's heart was in his mouth as he yanked on clothes hurriedly and ran down the busy streets of London in the pouring rain, knowing full well that it would be quicker to get to MI6 this way.

The second he was in through the door to Q branch he could hear Bond's voice coming through the transmitter on his watch.  
"I don't know where I'm going godammit!"

"I'm here, Bond." Q panted and sat down.

"It's about bloody time."

"I thought you said you'd be routine so as not to disturb my sleep." He couldn't help but smirk as Bond cursed at him loudly. This smile quickly disappeared as Q realised Bond was in an intricate weave of tunnels and he quickly searched for the closest exit.

"Go to your right, 007. About 100 yards in front of you there's another tunnel leading off to your left. Go down it. Watch the man approaching from your right." Bond fired off another two shots and Q continued giving him directions.

"007, there's three men approaching you, one from behind and two from in front." He could hear Bond firing off shots and he desperately searched for another way out but it seemed he was stuck. He suddenly heard a shot fired and a loud grunt of pain from Bond rang out Q branch. Q's heart rate tripled and his stomach clenched.

"Report back 007, where did they hit you?" Another three shots were fired and Bond was satisfied.

"Bastard. He hit my leg.." Q blinked slowly in dismay.

"Can you walk?"

"I'll bloody have to, won't I?!"

"The exit is 300 yards away, straight down this tunnel, then take a left and you're out."

"There's no light, Q. Are you sure?"

"Quite sure 007." He didn't feel that now was the time to make jokes and he crossed his fingers as he listened to Bond's laboured breathing with pain laced through it.

"Only 200 yards to go. You're almost there." He said quietly, as he double checked the area surrounding the field agent, something came up on the radar.

"Shit!"

"What is it?" Bond sounded slightly panicked and Q cursed himself mentally.

"One of the men had an explosive on him, I can't tell if it's timed or not. 007, you need to get out now." Bond let out another grunt of pain and he could see him stopping on the screen.

"No, no 007, keep going you're so close, you're almost there."

"I..." He'd never heard the sound of defeat in Bond's voice before, and it frightened him.

"Come on, 007. You may be old but you're not that decrepit just yet." Bond actually let out a shaky laugh and he smiled to himself.

"Bastard. How's puberty going....had any more wet dreams about me lately?" Q made a disgusted noise, but in his mind he was answering yes, yes he had. A wave of relief washed over him when he realised Bond had started moving again.

"To be completely honest with you, 007. I think I prefer 005." Bond laughed again and took the turning.

"Bloody hell, Q. There's a ladder." His stomach felt like it dropped to his feet.

"I'm sorry, 007. There's no other option right now." A kind of grunt of defeat came from Bond, mixed with determination as Q heard the clanging sounds of him slowly climbing the ladder through the speakers.

"Just got a message from the medics, 007. They're just approaching the street now. There's a manhole cover above you." The red dot on the screen stopped moving again and Q prayed that the explosive underneath Bond wouldn't go off. Bond was moving again, and Q heard him curse as he moved the manhole cover off the opening. He heard medics talking to him and sighed deeply as Bond's voice came through the transmitter:

"I'm out, and relatively safe, thanks Q." He sounded absolutely exhausted and Q instructed the medics to replace the manhole cover until the bomb squad arrived.

"You're welcome 007. See you tomorrow."

Q left that night mentally wrung-out. He was almost grateful for the near-dead atmosphere on the late night tube and the walk to the 24-hour supermarket before he finally got home, as he needed to clear his head. The absolute desperation he felt any time Bond was in a hostile situation was beginning to get to him, he'd harboured a kind of affection for the agent ever since he'd first met him, but he wasn't happy about it. Especially not now, not when he meant this much to him. Q was much happier with no attachment to anyone, in his line of work it simply wasn't practical, but he now found himself in the difficult situation of his attachment being his work. And it wasn't easy.

Q fell into bed the second he got in, not even bothering to put away the groceries.

The following morning, Q woke slowly, finding it extremely pleasurable that he hadn't been awaken in the early hours of the morning by an employee of MI6 asking him to come and sort something out.

He walked into his office and fought the smile away from his face when he saw Bond sitting on a chair, waiting for him.  
"007."

"Ah, Q. Just came to return my equipment.." He stood up as Q sat at his stool handed over an intact box, perching on the edge of Q's desk.

"I'm guessing the state of your equipment doesn't match the state of the box- wow. I'm impressed, 007." Bond smiled down at him.

"How's the leg?"

"Not too bad, actually. They were a bad enough shot not to hit any major arteries." Q smiled slightly as he checked over each piece of equipment.

"I wanted to say thank you." Q looked up at the agent's suddenly serious tone of voice.

"Oh?"

"I was on the verge of giving up out there, I really could have just...lied down and died at one point. That's never happened before. You saved my life, again, Q. Thank you." Q fought off the barrage of emotions that hit him and nodded slowly.

"You're welcome, Bond." The agent smiled slightly as Q used his name and inhaled deeply.

"Well. Have a good day, Q." He left the office before the quartermaster could get another word out. He cursed himself angrily, irritated that he'd missed yet another opportunity to keep a conversation going with the agent...or maybe even hint at his feelings. No, no that was ridiculous. Q buried his face in his hands for a moment at his own stupidity.

"Everything alright, Q?" The quartermaster felt his face turn a deep shade of crimson as he looked up at Mallory standing in the doorway.

"I-uh, yes. Quite alright, thank you, Sir. Was there a problem?"

"Not at all, quite the opposite actually..." M walked around the office slowly.  
"Firstly, I wanted to congratulate you on keeping 007 alive during his last mission. I was listening, I know how close we came to losing him." Q nodded.  
"And secondly, I wanted to ask a favour of you."

"A favour?"

"Yes. The Waterston case is almost resolved as I'm sure you well know, thanks to the retrieval of the hard drive in Isaac Michaux's possession." Q nodded again and M continued.  
"However, Michaux's right hand man, Olivier Boulas, is currently travelling to Poland to meet Waterston and give him the hard copy files that they stole from the previous M, he's stopping off in Munich to sort out some kind of deal, we don't know what it is." Q waited for the favour, slightly dreading what it could be.  
"Bond needs to go to Munich as quickly as his leg allows him in order to intercept him. I'm afraid he'll need constant security measures to help him, as well as every gadget under the sun. I need you to accompany him there, Q." Q felt nothing at first, then a wall of pure anxiety rushed in as the little, irrational thoughts crowded in about the dangers of the situation. He cleared his throat and pushed them away.

"Right. Of course. When do you suppose we'll be off?"

"Three weeks. That's when Olivier's meant to be there."

"That won't be enough time for Bond's leg to heal, will it?"

"He needs constant rest, even if that means hospitalising him."

"Very well. I think you need more luck than I do." M chuckled and nodded in agreement as he left, leaving Q feeling a little shocked.

He would have to go to Germany, and stay with Bond, alone, in a hotel or house somewhere. Alone, with Bond. Q and Bond, alone, probably for a couple of weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and let me know what you think. Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and leaving kudos! It's very encouraging :)


	3. Chapter 3

Bond knew there was something wrong. Four times he'd had to go to Q branch to receive equipment, four times Q had claimed he'd been too busy to see him. Three times Bond had seen him in a corridor and tried to approach him, and three times Q had either pretended not to see him or had rushed away babbling excuses. And twice Bond had tried to talk to him as he left MI6, and twice, Q had brushed him off.  
He didn't know if there was something bothering the young Quartermaster, whether someone had done something to upset him, or if maybe Bond himself had made the other feel awkward when he expressed his thanks for his help on the previous mission. 

Mallory called him into his office that evening.  
"007, I've heard no word from you about the final stage of the Waterston case." Bond frowned in confusion.

"About Munich?" Bond shook his head.

"Has Q not told you?"

"Q has even avoiding me like the plague since the last mission he guided me on." Mallory looked angry and Bond realised he'd put the younger man in trouble.

"Don't make a fuss over it, I'll go and pin him down if necessary." Mallory simply nodded and Bond left, happy to have an excuse to finally go into Q branch and actually be able to talk to the dark-haired man.

 

Q was in the process of tracking down a hacker, when Bond strode into his office and locked the door behind him, shutting out the stammering minion that was trying to stop him.  
"What do you want, 007?" He kept his tone calm and reserved.

"I want to know why you're avoiding me, and why you haven't briefed me about Munich."

\- Shit - Q thought to himself, and continued typing.

"I've been rather busy this past week, 007."

"Well, Mallory is pissed off. I'm a little irritated too, to be honest. I- oh for god's sake will you just listen!!" Q flinched slightly and slowly turned to face the irate agent.

"...I don't understand what I've done to make you so angry, nor at this point do I particularly care. But you could've at least bloody well briefed me on a mission!!"

"I apologise for that. Isaac Michaux is travelling to Poland to meet Waterston, and is stopping off in Munich to sort out a deal of some sort. Mallory has said that you are to go to Munich and intercept him there, and I am to accompany you." Q kept his tone almost robotic as he spoke and tried to ignore the uncomfortable sting in his eyes and clenching stomach.

"Very well. When do we leave?"

"Flights are at 10:00pm next Thursday from Gatwick Airport." Bond nodded curtly and stormed out, leaving Q feeling humiliated and upset, wanting nothing more than to go home and cocoon himself up in his duvet.

Q was depressed for the rest of the day, and when he walked in through the front door to another letter, he burst into tears leant against the wall of his flat, and wished Bond was there to hug him and tell him he'd be alright.

Sunday's not far now. Will you be celebrating with Bond? You should do, keep him close, you never know what might happen otherwise. By the way, I strongly recommend better security for your flat. Yours ...?

Q didn't sleep at all that night.

 

The following morning, Bond had collected the plane tickets from Mallory and was heading to Q branch to give Q his ticket personally, and rectify the sudden hostility between them. He walked in and all the staff were almost silent, he knew immediately that something was wrong. He walked over to Harry who looked desperately at him.  
"007, thank god. Something's wrong with Q."

"What do you mean? What is it?"

"I don't know. He's been here since 3 o'clock this morning, he hasn't drunk one cup of Earl Grey, and he locked himself in the office." Bond frowned and nodded.

"I'll try and talk to him, can't guarantee I'm the person he wants to see at the moment though." Harry nodded worriedly and Bond walked over to the door which was indeed locked. He could see Q through the glass, hunched over on his stool, looking even smaller and more vulnerable than usual. His shoulders moved ever so slightly and Bond felt something twist painfully in his chest before he knocked gently and spoke through the door, turned away from the minions so they couldn't hear.

"Q? It's me. Let me in."

"Go away.." His voice came out cracked and shaky.

"Come on, it's only me, just open the door."

"Bond." He tried to say it warningly, but his voice shook.

"What's wrong-"

"Please...Bond, please."

"I'm not leaving, Q. I'll shook the glass panes down and walk in before I do that." Q didn't reply for a long time, then he slowly climbed to his feet and walked over to the door. Bond looked down at his ashen face as he unlocked the door, hating how utterly lifeless he looked. Once the door was open, Bond walked in, closed the door behind them and shut all the blinds. Q stood there motionless.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently and Q rubbed one arm, biting his lip to hold back tears. He started for a reply but only shrugged when he thought he might crack.

"Q, tell me."

"Someone's s-stalking me." Bond frowned and Q picked up a was of notes and pressed them into his hands.

"These...came a few months ago, then they stopped.... then the...the other day it started ag-gain..." Bond read threatening note after threatening note and Q looked down, Bond saw teardrops gather at his jaw and fall to the floor, and he couldn't stand there any longer. He wrapped his arms around the Quartermaster's skinny frame and was shocked at the anger and protectiveness that coursed through his veins. This was only softened slightly by how fragile the other man felt in his arms, and how his heart stammered slightly when Q's long skinny hands came up to fist in his shirt.

"Have you told M?" Q shook his head.

"I'll come with you. I swear to god, if they let me at whoever put these under your door, I will make them feel pain like none they knew existed." Q made an involuntary noise and Bond lifted his head up with both hands resting on his neck gently. Q met his eyes slowly, and all of a sudden, panic hit Bond. The pull he felt to Q in that moment frightened him. Q's big, dark eyes looked up at his in that cautious yet open way they always had, but it was only now that Bond noticed how beautiful they were. He offered the younger man a supportive smile, breaking the tension and Q looked down again, disappointed, before nodding. Bond let him go again, and immediately missed the soft, pale skin under his fingers.

"This needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible, if you're feeling up to it." Q nodded and Bond led him out of the office straight up to Mallory's office, calling Moneypenny on the way.

"007."

"Warn Mallory that Q and I are coming to see him - it's urgent." He hung up before the woman could say anything. Q turned to him when they were in the final corridor.

"T-thank you, Bond. I think I should go by myself the rest of the way though." He nodded and watched with a fierce kind of protectiveness as Q walked away, shoulders slightly hunched and hands pulling the sleeves of his cardigan down even further over his hands.

Bond sat down, and a few moments later heard the clicking of heels before Moneypenny appeared looking concerned.  
"Dear god, Bond. What's wrong with Q? Did you do something?"

"No! He's being stalked, been getting threatening messages for months now." Eve shook her head in dismay and sat down beside him.

"I can't believe it. And he's held out until now, he's a lot stronger than we think he is."

"I know..." Bond said slowly, thinking about the other man, when he glanced back at Eve she was looking at him narrowly.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just be careful, Bond. And try not to upset him any more when he comes out."

"You make me sound like an indelicate fool." She just shrugged and winked before leaving.

The one last thing Bond could think before Q returned, was that he'd been mentioned in those notes. Someone had used him to get to Q, and that didn't worry him in the way that it should, instead it have him some guilty sort of pleasure knowing that his feelings weren't completely insane after all.


End file.
